Inter-group conflicts in the horn of Africa: The case of Diz and Suri people, Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract The Horn Africa is the region that consists of Ethiopia, Eretria, Djibouti and Somalia. It is also the region where more than 100 languages are spoken. Besides, it is blessed with natural resources and assumed to be the origin of human beings. Yet, it has remained the scene of various types of conflicts. Of the many areas in the horn of Africa which has been prone to such violent conflict, is the Southwest Ethiopia. This paper attempts to investigate the causes and consequences of the conflict between the Dizi and Suri people. It is in particular stress on addressing the political, social and economic dimension of the conflict, looking first at the administration system, state lead development interventions and economic situations. Evidences were collected from archival sources, field observation and interviews (at six parishes in Maji, Bero and Surma districts) between January and August 2014. It would be factual to argue that the conflict between the Dizi and Suri people in southwest Ethiopia was mainly caused by competition over the natural resources. Until the 1940s, the conflict was merely a local issue which had been mostly resolved through elder’s mediation.